TV review: The Turner Prize

The panellist, like many others featured in last night's enjoyable programme, made the most of the opportunity to shine like the stars as the art world was beamed into our living rooms.

The Turner Prize was launched back in 1984 and remains the art world's biggest event.

It continues to celebrate the best of conceptual art and provide a platform for cutting-edge practitioners who are interested in dancing monkeys, fires in department stores, psychiatrist RD Laing and more.

Confusing, chaotic and contradictory; the Turner's Prize is a Curate's egg. It gives viewers the opportunity to simultaneously laugh at the art world, and celebrate it.

The nation's number one tabloid, The Sun, for instance, told its readers that a 'Pile of poo was favourite for Turner Prize' in reference to atypically controversial sculptures by Paul Noble.

Perhaps the event is too intellectually challenging for that title. Or – like the Emperor's New Clothes – perhaps it's spot on.

The Turner Prize is a barometer of what's happening in the arts world, shining the spotlight on the visual arts.

In an era of austerity, when the art world is under threat from swingeing cuts, this year's prize felt more important than ever.

There was a sense of artists struggling to be heard, of fighting back, of refusing to lay down and just take it. Actor Jude Law, appointed to announce the winner, used the platform to attack the Government for its cultural vandalism.

The artists featured were an interesting bunch. Of the four nominees, one refused to let his video installation be shown by Channel 4 and also decided not to be interviewed. Such are the whims of the capricious elite.

Spartacus Chetwynd's performance art was highly peculiar, described by members of the audience as being like an art and music class for school children, felt like a Bjork video.

Elizabeth Price's aggressive video about a fire in a Manchester Woolworths was harrowing.

Paul Noble's landscapes were a treat – no wonder he was the favourite – while Luke Fowler's 90-minute video was the great unknown. He refused to let it be shown so non-metropolitan types had no idea of its merits.

The winner was Elizabeth Price, a video maker whose works focused on psychiatrist RD Laing and a fire in Manchester.

The succinctness of her work raised it above others. Her winner's speech was the highlight of the programme.

She was humble and dignified, talking with great humility about the opportunities she had been given as a child attending a comprehensive school before enjoying a free university education. She told the audience that a young girl growing up now would have no chance of replicating her success, so severe have been the cuts.

Her speech was tender and affecting. She was moved by her nomination and victory, gracious when receiving the award from Jude Law and excited by her achievement.

Channel 4's coverage, co-ordinated by Laurine Laverne, was polished and professional. Noel Fielding and his co-panellist Adrian Searle offered incisive erudition between scenes and Laverne was a class act.

At just under 30 minutes, it all felt a little hurried – rather like being on a roller coaster – before you knew it, it was all over and you were left to wonder what you'd just experienced.

By Andy Richardson